Field
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for automatic defrost of vehicle windows and, more particularly, for determining whether condensation is likely to form on the windows of a vehicle and automatically controlling an HVAC to properly reduce the condensation.
Description of the Related Art
Many vehicles include climate controls for controlling operation of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC). One control available to the user is a defrost setting for reducing condensation on an internal surface of a window. These defrost settings are typically controlled manually. Thus, in order to defrost a window, a driver must be aware that condensation is likely to occur or is present on the window, must know the correct settings for the HVAC to remove the condensation and must manually control the HVAC to operate at the correct settings.
The correct settings of the HVAC for condensation removal are difficult to determine and vary based on factors such as an air temperature in the cabin of the vehicle, an air temperature outside of the cabin and a moisture level in the cabin. All this information is generally not available to the person trying to control the settings. If the optimal settings are not selected, the condensation may not dissipate sufficiently fast or the amount of condensation on the windows may increase.
Many drivers are not aware of the fact that optimal settings exist for reducing the amount of condensation. These drivers may thus turn on a defrost setting of the HVAC without changing any other settings. This can cause unnecessary delay in condensation removal or additional accumulation of condensation. Thus, the driver may have to wait for a relatively long period of time before driving or may even attempt to drive unsafely without reducing or removing the condensation beforehand.
Thus, there is a need for systems and methods for automatic defrost control for vehicles.